Disney actor Ryan Ochoa, who attended elementary school in Tierrasanta, plays a high school student in his newest movie, which brings him back to San Diego.

Ochoa, who now lives north of Temecula, was in the audience here Monday at a screening of “The Samuel Project,” in which he co-stars with Hal Linden.

Through March 8, The Lot theater in La Jolla is showing sneak previews of the indie movie filmed on the streets of San Diego. It’s a mini-sightseeing tour, offering glimpses of the Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park, Hillcrest, North Park, Point Loma, La Jolla and Ramona as the story plays out. The San Diego Jewish Academy doubles as the school attended by Ochoa’s movie character, Eli.

“We started out as a little indie movie. Now we’re playing next to ‘Black Panther,’” Ochoa posted on Facebook Tuesday. “Last night was by far one I will never forget!”

Courtesy photo

Ryan Ochoa returns to San Diego, where "The Samuel Project" was filmed, for an unpublicized showing of the movie at The Lot in La Jolla. The film, expected to be officially released this fall, can be seen there through March 8.

Ryan Ochoa returns to San Diego, where "The Samuel Project" was filmed, for an unpublicized showing of the movie at The Lot in La Jolla. The film, expected to be officially released this fall, can be seen there through March 8. (Courtesy photo)

San Diego producer Steve Weinberger says publicity is being withheld until a planned theater release this fall, and a digital distribution deal involving Netflix, Hulu and Amazon is in the works.

Linden — who portrays Samuel, Eli’s grandfather — joined the cast while here last March performing at the Old Globe in Steve Martin’s play, “Picasso at the Lapin Agile.” Fellow Old Globe performers Philippe Bowgen, who played Picasso, and Liza Lapira, Picasso’s lover, also joined “The Samuel Project” cast.

Linden attended a sneak film preview for the Cinema Society of San Diego in December. “The cast, the crew … even the investors flew in,” said society director Andy Friedenberg, “so we were wowed from the start, and when the show ended … the audience broke into applause.”

Courtesy photo

Emily Ratajkowski, 26, posted a photo on Instagram pointing to her new wedding ring after quietly getting married in New York.

Emily Ratajkowski, 26, posted a photo on Instagram pointing to her new wedding ring after quietly getting married in New York. (Courtesy photo)

Single no more: The Twittersphere was buzzing with celebrity news that San Diego schoolgirl-turned-super model Emily Ratajkowski, 26, quietly got married last Friday in a New York City courthouse.

Almost as newsworthy was that the high-fashion icon wore a simple, off-the-rack, mustard-colored Zara pant suit that sells for $167.

Her beau? Producer and actor Sebastian Bear-McClard, who echoed the casual theme, sporting a short blue jacket and black T-shirt.

John Ratajkowski, the bride’s father, was a longtime art teacher at San Dieguito High School Academy (where Emily was a student) before he retired a few years ago. Apparently, he missed the ceremony because only a couple of witnesses stood by. Afterward, the Sports Illustrated swimsuit model posted a photo announcement on Instagram.

She shot to fame after appearing topless in Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” video and recently disrobed for the latest issue of Vanity Fair Spain.

Despite posing nude, she applauds the #MeToo anti-sexual harassment movement and uses her social media popularity to emphasize her feminist views. Early last year, she was in the media spotlight after "outing" a New York Times reporter for referring to Melania Trump as a "hooker" during a conversation at a N.Y. Fashion Week event.

Fox Network

Gracie Howard, then 9 and a resident of Cardiff by the Sea, cooked a chicken breast on Season 5 of "MasterChef Junior" in 2017. She tried out again and returns to the show's Season 6 premiere on March 2.

Gracie Howard, then 9 and a resident of Cardiff by the Sea, cooked a chicken breast on Season 5 of "MasterChef Junior" in 2017. She tried out again and returns to the show's Season 6 premiere on March 2. (Fox Network)

Déjà vu: Last year, two pre-teen James Beards-in-the-making from San Diego cooked their way onto the MasterChef Junior reality show on Fox network.

When Season 6 premieres at 8 p.m. Friday, San Diego once again is home to two of the top 40 contestants. Gracie Howard, 10, who recently moved from Cardiff to Olivenhain, is a repeat competitor from last season. Joining her on the show is Rancho Santa Fe’s Evan Estrada, 12.

Gracie worked her way up from using a play kitchen at age 2 to currently overseeing a portable stand selling her baked goods for charity and sharing her recipes in Gracie’s Culinary Corner of Child Photo Magazine. The Rhoades School fifth-grader has built a 100-dish repertoire, reports her mom, Melissa Howard.

It was Evan’s love of the Swedish pop group ABBA that led to him watching the New Scan Cooking show about Scandinavia and its food.

“He loved the science behind the cooking, the art in the presentation, the history and culture from the recipes and the joy of bringing people together,” says his mom, Tricia.

The La Jolla Country Day seventh-grader’s palate has come a long way since his preference for Hot Pockets through age 6. He recently catered a couple of dinner events and writes about his culinary adventures on his blog and his website, evanestrada.com.

Gracie and Evan are competing for the MasterChef Junior $100,000 purse — which will buy a lot of groceries.